Easy Baked Chicken Thighs with Mushroom Cream Sauce

 

Overview & Why It Works

This dish combines succulent, oven‑baked chicken thighs with a rich, creamy mushroom sauce. The key is to first get a nice sear (or partial browning) on the chicken so you develop flavor, then finish it in the oven while the sauce simmers. The mushrooms and cream create a luxurious sauce that complements the chicken beautifully.

Pros:

• The thighs stay juicy and flavorful (especially if bone‑in, skin-on).

• The sauce is rich but straightforward.

• Much of the work is hands-off once things are in the oven.

• It pairs well with many sides (rice, mashed potatoes, pasta, or vegetables).

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Ingredients (for 4 servings)

You can scale up or down as needed.

Component	Ingredient	Amount
Chicken	Chicken thighs (bone-in, skin-on preferred)	4 (about 1.2–1.5 kg / 2.5–3 lb)
	Salt	~1 ½ tsp (or to taste)
	Black pepper	~¾ tsp
	Garlic powder or fresh garlic	optional, ~½ tsp / 1 clove
	Olive oil (or neutral cooking oil)	1–2 Tbsp
Mushrooms & aromatics	Mushrooms, sliced (button, cremini, or mixed)	250–300 g
	Butter	1–2 Tbsp
	Onion or shallot, finely chopped (optional)	½ medium onion or 1 shallot
	Garlic, minced	2–3 cloves
Sauce liquids	Chicken broth (or stock)	½ to 1 cup
	White wine (optional)	½ cup
	Heavy cream	¾ to 1 cup
Herbs & extras	Fresh thyme, rosemary, or parsley	a few sprigs / 2 Tbsp chopped
	Dijon mustard (optional)	1 tsp
	Parmesan cheese (optional)	2–3 Tbsp grated
	Cornstarch or flour slurry (optional, for thickening)	1 tsp in 1 Tbsp water

You can adapt this (for instance, skip the wine, or reduce cream) if needed.

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Equipment

• Ovenproof skillet (e.g. cast iron or heavy pan that can go in oven)

• Baking dish or casserole (if your skillet isn’t oven-safe)

• Knife, cutting board

• Spatula, tongs

• Measuring cups and spoons

• Foil or lid (for covering)

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Preparation & Cooking Steps

1. Preheat & prepare

1. Preheat your oven to 180 °C (350 °F) (or ~175 °C convection).

2. Pat the chicken thighs dry with paper towels (this helps with browning).

3. Season both sides of the thighs with salt and pepper (and garlic powder if using).

4. If you like, you can let them sit at room temperature for ~10 minutes so they aren’t stone cold when entering the pan.

2. Sear / Brown the Chicken

1. Heat 1–2 Tbsp olive oil in your ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat.

2. When hot (oil shimmering), add the thighs, skin-side down. Press them down gently so the skin contacts the pan.

3. Sear for 5–7 minutes without moving, until the skin is golden and crisp.

4. Flip the thighs and sear the other side for 3–4 minutes. Don’t worry about cooking through; just get color.

5. Remove the thighs and set aside (on a plate). Reserve drippings in the pan.

Tip: If your pan gets too dark or starts smoking, reduce heat or wipe some fat out (leaving some) before continuing.

3. Cook the Mushrooms & Aromatics

1. In the same pan, reduce heat to medium. Add butter.

2. If using onion or shallot, add it now; sauté until translucent (~2 min).

3. Add sliced mushrooms. Season lightly with salt/pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until they release their moisture and begin to brown (5–7 min).

4. Add the minced garlic and sauté for ~1 minute until fragrant (don’t burn it).

4. Deglaze & Build the Sauce

1. If using wine, pour it in now to deglaze, scraping up brown bits from the bottom. Let it simmer ~2 minutes to reduce slightly.

2. Add chicken broth (or stock). Let it come to a gentle simmer, again scraping any browned bits.

3. Stir in the heavy cream (start with the lower amount and add more if needed).

4. If using Dijon mustard or Parmesan, stir them in now.

5. Taste and adjust seasoning (salt, pepper).

6. If the sauce is too thin, you can thicken: mix cornstarch (or flour) with a bit of water into a slurry and stir into sauce; simmer until thickened.

5. Nestle Chicken & Bake

1. Place the seared chicken thighs back into the skillet, skin-side up, nestling them into the sauce. Spoon some sauce over them.

2. Cover the skillet with a lid or tightly with foil (if your skillet has no lid).

3. Transfer to the oven and bake for 20–25 minutes, until chicken is cooked through (internal temp ~74 °C / 165 °F).

4. After 20 minutes, uncover and let bake an additional 5 minutes to thicken the sauce and crisp skin if desired.

6. Finish & Garnish

1. Remove from oven.

2. Taste the sauce again, adjust seasoning if needed.

3. Sprinkle chopped fresh parsley (or thyme) over top for freshness.

4. Let rest a few minutes before serving.

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Serving Suggestions & Side Dishes

• Mashed potatoes (classic)

• Steamed or roasted vegetables (e.g. green beans, asparagus)

• Buttered egg noodles or pasta (to soak up the sauce)

• Plain rice (white, basmati, or pilaf style)

• Crusty bread (to mop up sauce)

• A light green salad on the side (to cut through richness)

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Tips, Variations & Troubleshooting

Tips

• Use bone-in, skin-on thighs if possible. They retain more moisture and flavor, and the skin crisps nicely.

• Don’t overcrowd the pan when browning. If necessary, brown in batches.

• Don’t bring the cream to a full boil — simmer gently to avoid curdling.

• If the sauce seems too thin, reduce it uncovered, or use a thickening slurry.

• Let the chicken rest a bit after baking, so juices redistribute.

Variations

• Mushroom types: use a mix (cremini, shiitake, portobello) for more depth.

• Herbs: thyme, rosemary, tarragon, or a bit of sage work beautifully.

• Add greens: near the end, you could stir in spinach or peas for color & added nutrition.

• Lighter version: use half-and-half instead of heavy cream, or reduce cream and add more broth.

• Wine-free version: omit wine and replace with extra broth and a splash of lemon juice or vinegar for brightness.

• Cheesy twist: stir in extra Parmesan or gruyère just before serving.

• Spicy touch: add a pinch of red pepper flakes or smoked paprika.

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Approximate Timing Summary

Step	Duration
Prep & seasoning	5–10 min
Searing chicken	~8–10 min
Cooking mushrooms & aromatics	5–7 min
Building sauce & simmer	3–5 min
Baking with chicken	20–25 min
Finishing touches	~2–3 min

Total time: roughly 40–50 minutes from start to finish.

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Sample Full Recipe Text (for 4 servings)

Here is a consolidated version you can print out or follow:

Ingredients:

• 4 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs

• Salt & black pepper

• 1–2 Tbsp olive oil

• 1 Tbsp butter

• 1 small onion (or 1 shallot), finely chopped (optional)

• 250 g mushrooms, sliced

• 2–3 cloves garlic, minced

• ½ cup white wine (optional)

• ½ – 1 cup chicken broth

• ¾ – 1 cup heavy cream

• 1 tsp Dijon mustard (optional)

• 2 Tbsp grated Parmesan cheese (optional)

• Fresh parsley or thyme, chopped, for garnish

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 180 °C (350 °F).

2. Pat chicken thighs dry, then season all over with salt and pepper.

3. Heat olive oil in ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Add thighs skin-side down, sear 5–7 minutes until golden. Flip and sear 3–4 minutes. Remove and set aside.

4. In same pan, lower heat to medium; add butter. If using onion, sauté 1–2 minutes. Then add mushrooms, season lightly, and cook until browned (~5–7 min). Add garlic and sauté ~1 min.

5. If using wine, pour in and deglaze pan, scrape browned bits, simmer ~2 min. Add chicken broth; simmer gently for a minute. Stir in heavy cream, Dijon, and Parmesan if using. Adjust salt/pepper.

6. Nestle chicken back into sauce, skin-side up. Cover pan, and bake in oven 20–25 minutes until cooked through. Uncover last 5 minutes to thicken sauce/crisp skin.

7. Remove, garnish with fresh herbs. Serve with your preferred side (mashed potatoes, pasta, rice, vegetables).

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Estimated Nutritional Note (approximate)

• Calories will depend on portion sizes, cream, and how much sauce you eat.

• This is a relatively rich dish due to the cream and butter, so pairing with lighter sides or more vegetables helps balance.

• If you reduce cream or use a lighter cream alternative, you can lighten it somewhat.

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If you like, I can convert this into a printable PDF, or provide a version with metric/imperial conversions, or even a simplified version for fewer steps. Do you want me to send you that?